1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drink container holders and stabilizers and more particularly to drink container holders which can releasably hold and stabilize drink containers having various longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional areas.
2. Background Art
Drink container holders, of the type primarily intended for use within a motor vehicle, have been around for many years. While such drink holders have primarily been intended to prevent a drink container from tipping over, or spilling, when exposed to vibrations and other occurrences which typically result when a vehicle is in motion, such drink holders have been limited for use with only a few different sizes of drink containers. One example of such prior art drink container holders comprises a flexible pouch that surrounds a relatively rigid styrofoam cup capable of receiving a beverage can; the space between the styrofoam cup and the flexible pouch is partially filled with particulate matter.
The drink container or can itself is held in that prior art device by a plastic ring having a plurality of short finger-like elements attached adjacent the top end of the styrofoam cup or holder. These finger-like elements provide only limited expansion and are intended for securement of drink containers, such as beverage cans, having diameters only slightly smaller than the diameter of the top end of the holder to which the plastic ring is attached. The drink containers themselves are then placed between the finger-like elements and pushed toward the bottom of the holder. Unfortunately, these finger-like elements of the plastic ring form a relatively defined diameter which only allows for marginal expansion when inserting a drink container. Accordingly, this limited ability to expand severely restricts the sizes of drink containers which can adequately be held within the drink container holder. Furthermore, such prior art devices do not readily accommodate a drink container having a handle, such as a coffee mug.